Gas station attendants were killed off by a market shift to ten-minute oil change shops.

When the price of gas started rising stations started to offer self-serve. This was the first nail in the coffin of station attendants.

The void left in the market was filled by ten-minute oil change shops. People found that their cars worked fine with this routine and they were also in and out of what was rapidly turning back into a 'Filling Station' from the 1920's.

Today it is rare to see anyplace offering fuel for sale that is not a convenience store. I never got into the marketing side of the oil business that much, but I have been told by those that are that ALL the profit is made in the store. I do know for a fact that some stores will sell gasoline below their costs to increase store traffic. Not by much of course, but by enough to get you into the door.